Sweet science behind Maine maple syrup season

SABATTUS, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Maple Syrup season in Maine is a sweet science for those of us on the receiving end. But for the producers, sugaring takes a lot of work and perfect weather conditions.

In Sabattus -- Jillson's Farm and Sugarhouse is expecting 2,000 maple syrup lovers on Maine Maple Sunday. In two weeks, they hope to have tripled their 100 gallons of syrup to 300 gallons.

"We haven't had that run when you can't keep up. And that's what we need, a couple of days when you can't keep up with the gathering."

Ed Jillson worked on the farm's 90 acres before purchasing it 35 years ago. He has 2,000 taps spread across 300 acres in Sabattus, Litchfield, and Wilton. He says it will take cold nights and warm days to get the taps to stream sap.

"It's the cold driving that sap down, and if it drives down and is real cold and stay there a while, usually it comes up with extra sugar and extra sugar makes more syrup."

Jillson says it takes 40 drops of sap to make 1 drop of maple syrup. He is inspecting the amount of sap in the buckets to compare with Fridays run. That will be the 6th of the 16 Jillson hope to gather by the end of the season.

"I'm hoping for a flood of sap."

Jillson's Farm relies on the sugar season to make maple butter, cotton candy, kettle corn, and maine maple moose pops. All available on Maine Maple Sunday.